Letters to the Editor
donnaquixote
Published Letters: 55 Editor's Choice: 3
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Bill Moyers on Georgia Public Broadcasting
[Read the article: "Just call it a 'no surrender' party"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Note to GeorgiaLib: His show is being shown this Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. This is what GPB does when they are too cowardly to put Bill Moyers on on a weeknight. They did the same thing with NOW when he was on there: Move it to a time when fewer people will be watching, which keeps them ok with the Republican/conservative people who now own this state, lock, stock, and barrel.
And what are they showing tonight when others will be watching Bill Moyers Journal: American Master series on Ray Charles and James Brown. Believe these are repeats.
In fact, by and large, they show mostly pablum these days.
They can't handle the least bit of liberalism or controversy. Hence, a "non-offensive" substitute or moving the offending show to a time slot not likely to arouse the ire of Republicans. Such is the state of the MSM these days.
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GK'S Blues Made Me Blue
[Read the article: The spring blues]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Normally I pretty much enjoy the process of getting from the beginning of a GK column to the point that he inevitably makes at the end. However, the process in this one threw me off track, because not only am I Southern but for more than 3 decades I have been acquainted with Columbus. Perhaps it takes an outsider's view to make one take a closer look at one's region, but sad is not what I would call that small but proud city. Progressive in its own way and forward looking, thanks in part to the very presence of Ft. Benning itself. But also thanks to an actively engaged group of civic and business leaders. Not only do they have a good progressive mayor, but they are also represented by a Black Democrat in Congress.
Like another poster, it frustrates and angers me when the South is portrayed as some sort of national anomaly and disgrace, particularly vis-a-vis "race". The racial and economic divide here is no greater than it is in many other parts of the country. Blacks have made tremendous economic and political gains here. Just ask them. And, while, yes, they suffered after 1865 for about a century, so did most white Southerners, my family among them. Most were "dirt-poor" sharecroppers. WWII was the economic engine that freed many of my parents' generation from the cycle of agrarian poverty. So, just perhaps, outsiders cannot fully appreciate from where we Southerners, both black and white, have come and labelling and pigenholing us does none of us any good.
Thanks to the poster be-bop, who always manages to put things into perspective while simultaneously deflating one's anger and rage. And to the poster from Mississippi, yes, the magnolia was blooming last week, but not the honeysuckle (too early) and most definitely not camellias, which bloom here in the fall and winter and are prized for their blossoms and not for their nonexistent perfume.
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More than embarrassing
[Read the article: Bush's European disaster]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am absolutely humiliated by Bush's performance in Europe, and, apparently, no one in this administration had any positive vision for the country going in. Instead these 6 1/2 years may have resulted in irrevisible damage to our standing and reputation. Not only do I wonder about O'Connor's vote, one must wonder how many million Americans must feel about their votes for Bush, particularly in 2004. Since I live in the South there are lots of them. Mostly they are quiet and don't bring up the subject. But, they are still Republicans, and they will still vote Republican in 08. Sad to say, most have no "worldview". The current cadre of Republican presidential candidates, are, with one exception, truly reactionary, and, if elected, will promote most of these same disastrous policies. I share the Europeans' concerns.
Kudos to Mr. Blumenthal for a sobering, meaty, and well written article.
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Ditto that!
[Read the article: Beyond the Multiplex]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"The “War on Terror” is really a police action against small, independent terror cells of less than ten people living and working in the middle of a civilian population. Again, when in a situation like that a Bradley Tank is worthless in the extreme."
Thanks, Chris. This is a lesson I thought we had learned in Viet Nam. My husband fought there and he said that for years. I thought all thinking reasonable people had learned that, and I kept thinking in the runup to this one that those who knew this would somehow prevail in counsel to the President. Now we all know why they didn't. Not only that, the professionals had no say in the occupation and those who should have challenged the policies were strangely silent.
Thanks, too, for correctly describing how this war on terror should be waged. Too bad people like you aren't in a position to make and execute policy.
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Andrea Mitchell on Meet the Press
[Read the article: The leak designed to save Alberto Gonzales]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While I agree with Casual Observer's comments at 9:59 about the slowness of Congressional investigations, today's MTP on NBC reinforces what Omooex said about the dwindling patience on the part of the American people with the excruciatingly slow pace of these hearings. When it is reinforced by shows such as this, the Democratic Congress will have an increasingly difficult time earning the support of Americans. Andrea Mitchell certainly has an agenda. She never backs up anything with facts and her bias against this Congress is blatantly obvious. And, then there was Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation asking his guest if the whole issue about warrantless wiretapping and data mining was too arcane to get the attention of Americans. Link to that segment of today's MTP is below:
http://tinyurl.com/25497b